Monday 22 October 1666

Up, and by coach to Westminster Hall, there thinking to have met Betty Michell, who I heard yesterday staid all night at her father’s, but she was gone. So I staid a little and then down to the bridge by water, and there overtook her and her father. So saluted her and walked over London Bridge with them and there parted, the weather being very foul, and so to the Tower by water, and so home, where I find Mr. Caesar playing the treble to my boy upon the Theorbo, the first time I heard him, which pleases me mightily. After dinner I carried him and my wife towards Westminster, by coach, myself ‘lighting at the Temple, and there, being a little too soon, walked in the Temple Church, looking with pleasure on the monuments and epitaphs, and then to my Lord Belasses, where Creed and Povy by appointment met to discourse of some of their Tangier accounts between my Lord and Vernatty, who will prove a very knave. That being done I away with Povy to White Hall, and thence I to Unthanke’s, and there take up my wife, and so home, it being very foule and darke. Being there come, I to the settling of some of my money matters in my chests, and evening some accounts, which I was at late, to my extraordinary content, and especially to see all things hit so even and right and with an apparent profit and advantage since my last accounting, but how much I cannot particularly yet come to adjudge.

"...there thinking to have met Betty Michell, who I heard yesterday staid all night at her father’s, but she was gone. So I staid a little and then down to the bridge by water, and there overtook her and her father..."

Today the house of C doth provide incentives to grow weed:subsidies anyone?Hemp and Flax.

"Sir John Knight reports from the Committee to which the Bill to encourage the Planting and Sowing of Hemp and Flax was committed, several Amendments to be made to the Bill: Which he read in his Place; and after, delivered the same in at the Clerk's Table.

And the Amendments were twice read; and, upon the Question, severally agreed to.

An Amendment being proposed, to insert "Five Shillings per Acre" instead of "Two Shillings and Sixpence," in the Bill.

The Question being put, To agree to That Amendment;

It passed in the Negative.

Resolved, &c. That the Bill, with the Amendments agreed to, be ingrossed."